Hat-priess element



J. R. ROSS.

HAT PRESS ELEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL 5. 1919.

1,335, 197. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

* UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. ROSS, or HOS-TON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HAT-PRESS ELEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented. Mar, 30, 1920.

Application filed March 5, 1919: Serial No. 280,692.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. Ross, a citizen of the United States, residin at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and tate of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hat- Press Elements, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a hat press which includes an elliptical crown member which shapes the interior of a hat crown, a fixed elliptical crown-supporting base member on which the crown is removably supported, and a hollow elliptical die member formed to surround the crown member and bear removably on the base member; The base and crown members are rigidly supported by the fixed frame of the press, and are removably secured to the frame, so that different members .may be used interchangeably. The die member is detachably'secured to a reciprocating frame or carrier movable by-the operator onthe fixed frame, the ar-. rangement being such that the die member may be depressed'by the operator upon the crown member and caused to cooperate with the latter in forming a piece of sheet material, such as buckram, into a hat crown or crown foundation adapted to be covered externally with ornamental fabric.

The invention ise'mbodied in the improvements hereinafter described relating wholly to the base and die members, the object of the improvement being to'enable the major axes of these members to be varied in length to conform to crown members of different sizes. Within-a certain range of hat sizes thev length of the minor axis of the crown does not vary, the variation being in the length of the major axis. In accordance with my invention, I so construct the base member and die member that while their minor axes are practically invariable, their major axes may bevaried to a considerable extent.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a base mem "ber and a die member embodying the invention, the top portion of the crown member being shown above-the die member,and the base and die members being so adjusted that their major axes are of the minimum gth- F g 2 is view si i r o Fig-1,5

ing'the base and die members adjusted to increase the length of their major axes.

F ig'. 3 is a top plan view of the die member; I r

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the base member.

Fig. 5 is a section looking downward.

Fig. 6 is a view looking upward from line 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the two sections of the base member abnormally separated.

Fig. 8 is asection on the plane of line 88 of Fig. '2.

- The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings, 12 represents a crown member of ordinary'construction,.the member being usually hollow, and having a smooth uninterrupted external surface shaped to conform to any style or shape-of on line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

hat to be pressed. 1

13 represents the crown-supporting base member, which may be adapted by any suitable or usual means for attachment to a -movably, and with the usual seat 15 on 'which the die member 16 bears removably.

The base member and die member are of elliptical form, and each offthe three members above referred to cooperates in the usual way with the other members. The die member 16 is detachably secured to a vertically reciprocating frame or carrier guided by the fixed frame of the machine and depressible by the operator through a treadle, until the lower edge of the die member surrounds the base of the crown member 12 and bearson the seat 15, as shown by Figs. 1, 2 and'8. Said carrier and the die member are normally raised by springs with which the machine is' provided, and when the die. member is raised, sheet materialfor a hat crown or crown foundation may be placed upon the crown under the die member and caused by the next descent of the die member to conform to the surface of the crown member. Y

Since my invention relates wholly to the improvements hereinafter described in the base and @11 9 member g notc'on'sider it necessary to illustrate the other parts of the machine of which these members constitute elements, it being sufiicient to say that the base member and crown are supported and the die member is supported and reciprocated as usual in machines of this character.

In carrying out my invention, I divide the base member 13 and the die member 16 on lines transverse to their major axes, so that each of said members is composed of two relatively movable sections having opposed separable end faces, each member being providedrwith means for adjusting its sections to vary the length of its major axis, so that said members may be conformed to interchangeable crown members 12 of different sizes, or, in other words, to either one of a plurality of crown members having major axes of different lengths.

As shown by Fig. 4:, the base member 13 is divided on a line which is both transverse and oblique to its major axis, so that the base member is composed of two sections, each having opposed separable end faces 13 When said faces meet, as shown by Fig. i, the major axis of the base member is at its minimum length, and when said faces are separated, the length of the major axis is increased, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 6.

I have here shown as the means for varying the major axis ofythe base member tapped cars 18, projecting downward from the base member at points adjacent to the end faces 13, said ears being grouped in pairs, and the ears of each pair being connected by a right and left threaded screw 19, having a wrench engaging enlargement 20 by which it may be turned. It will be understood, of course, that the internal threads of the cars 18 are formed to cooperate with the right and left threads of the bolt 19.

As shown by Fig. 3, the die member 16 is divided on a line which is both transverse and oblique to its major axis, so that the die member is composed of two sections, each having opposed separable end faces 16*. When said faces meet as shown by Fig. 3, the major axis of the die member is at its minimum length, and when said faces are separated, the length of the major axis is increased, as shown by dottedlines'in Figs. 3 and 5.

The sections of the die member are provided with outwardly projecting tapped cars 21 adjacent to the end faces 16". With said ears are engaged right and left threaded .screws 22, each having a nut-engaging enlargement 23. 'Provision is thus made for When .a crown member 12 having amajor said tongues.

axis of minimum length is used, 1 the base and die members are contracted so that their end faces meet as shown by Fig. 1. When a crown member having a major axis of greater length is used, the sections of the base and die members are separated to increase the length of the major axis of said members and conform the same to the length of the major axis of the crown member.

vision being thus made for directing jets of flame against the outer surface of the die member, in accordance with the usual practice. V

To bridge the spaces between the sections of the base member 13 and the die member 16, I provide the sections of said members with tongues and grooves, the tongues entering the grooves and providing means for bridging the spaces between the sections when their end faces are separated.

Fig. 7 shows a tongue ,26 on one of the sections of the base member, and a groove 27 formed in the other section to receive said tongue. As shown-by Figs. 3 and 5, the die member sections are provided with tongues 28 and with grooves 29 arranged to receive It will be understood that in employing the device hereinbefore described the base sections being properly adjusted, asuitable crown is placed thereonand the die member,

also properly adjusted to correspond to the crown is raised. A sheet of buckram or other material for forming "a hat body .is thenplaced upon the crown and the die depressed to cause it to conform to the, exterior smooth surface of the crown. It will be appreciated that it is important, to have this exterior surface smooth and unbroken or requires the employment of a crown member adapted to that particular size. Heretofore members and die, members as there are sizes of crown members. :This isrendered unnecessary by my invention,'the adjustable base member and the adjustable die member being adapted for use with a number of different sizes ofcrown members- I cla1mz- I 1. A hat press crown suppoit comprising 7 a base member provided with an elliptical crown seat, on which a crown is adapted to it hasbeen necessaryto provide as many base bear loosely, saidmemberbeing divided on a line transverse to the major axis of said seat into two section having opposed separable end faces and relatively movable to vary the length of the major axis of the crown seat, and means exterior of said member for effecting such adjustment and maintaining the parts in the desired relation, whereby a single base may be employed With either one of a plurality of interchangeable elliptical crowns each of which has a major axis of different length from that of the others.

2. A hat press comprising a base member provided with an elliptical crown seat, on

which a crown is adapted to bear loosely, and a correspondingly shaped die seat, said member being divided on a line transverse to the major axes of said seats, means for effecting relative adjustments of the sections of said member to vary the lengths of the major axes of said seats and retain the parts in adjusted position, whereby a single base may be employed with either of a plurality of interchangeable elliptical shaped crowns,

each of which has a major axis of different length from that of the others, and an elliptical shaped die member provided with means for varying the length of its major axis so that it can properly surround any selected crown positioned on the base member.

3. A hat press comprising a base member provided with an elliptical crown seat and divided on a line transverse to the major axis of said seat into two sections which are relatively movable to vary the length of said axis, and a plurality of non-adjustable elliptical shaped crowns, each of which has a smooth uninterrupted exterior surface and a major axis of different length from that of the others, said member being provided with means for efl'ecting relative movement of its sections and maintaining the parts in proper relation to provide a seat corresponding to any selected one of said crowns.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

JOHN R. ROSS. 

